Hurricane proves that we should be prepared for natural disasters

It’s seems trite to say sometimes, but the Boy Scouts of Ameica do actually know what they are talking about in their eternal motto: “Be prepared.” That we should keep that in mind was never more evident again when Hurricane Sandy came sweeping through our region this week.

We are lucky that modern technology has given us the ability to be forewarned and forearmed for serious weather emergencies that pose the possibility that our daily lives will be thrown into chaos. We can watch weather channels and Internet sites and get up to the minute data on where and when the storms are supposed to bear down on us.

But that is all for nothing if we don’t sit down and think ahead – be prepared – before the storm is even a blip on a radar screen somewhere. It might make for flashy television images, but rushing to the supermarket as the storm bears down to see if you can load up on bottled water and batteries, not to mention bread and milk, is not a serious game plan.

That is why we admire the effort that many in Chester County are making to insure that they are prepared for natural disasters. The Coalition for Avancing Freedom, a tea party group whose members are focused on education for their neighbors and friends, have been organizing seminars on how to prepare your home and family in the event that there is a disruption like Sandy confronted us with.

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One imagines that a lot of what the group preaches is common sense. Have a kit prepared that will get your family through 72 hours without power – with batteries and water and nonperishable food and light sources and medical supplies and other essentials. Know escape routes. Get ready for cold temperatures or hot inside your home. But there are other tips that presenters pass along, like remembering to fill up a bathtub before the storm hits to have water that can be used to flush toilets. Or knowing that there is a handy water supply inside a hot water heater.

One need not be an insane “prepper” who believes the end of the world is coming and to get ready for the next storm or natural event. We don’t always agree with what the tea parties have to say about the government and other issues, but on this point they are speaking with truth and wisdom: everyone should be prepared.

A preparation meeting will be held Nov. 14, at the Southern Chester County Sportsman & Farmers Association facility in West Marlborough. Visit www.advancefreedom.org for more information